by Debra Sage
“Hey, take it easy with this stuff, okay? It’s lethal if you have too much.”
“I know, man. Don’t worry about me. I know what I’m doing.”
Lee handed the vial to him.
Mark sat at the table and poured some of the white powder onto a small mirror with a razor blade beside it. “You want a line?”
“Nah, I have to go to work. I can’t show up high. I’ve got cops swarming the place. One of our nurses overdosed on that stuff. Seriously, man, don’t do too much too fast. This isn’t like the regular stuff. It will drop you like a ton of bricks.”
Mark looked at Lee. “Yeah, I get it.”
“I better get out of here,” Lee said. “I’ve got a shit ton of paperwork to deal with this morning. And I’ve got to gather another shipment for your team. It’s going to be a big one. God, I love the smell of money.”
“You and me both,” Mark said. He leaned down to inhale.
Lee stepped in beside him, grabbed the switch blade off the table and jammed it hard into Mark’s carotid artery. He held it in place, then slid it for another hit to the artery.
It was fast. Messy. But done.
Lee picked up the vial from the table and wiped it down. No need for his prints to be on it. He wiped the switch blade’s handle, then placed it on the table. Carefully, he moved Mark’s hand over the knife and pressed his fingers to it.
There was blood everywhere. Lee calmly went to the kitchen sink and washed his hands diligently. Mark lived alone. Hell, other than the bikers, he was a loner. Nobody would report him missing for a while, and when they found him they’d write it down as another dirt bag that got high on the wrong stuff, then killed himself.
Lee found his way out and walked quickly to his waiting car. The sooner he left the area, the safer he’d feel. Thankfully it was early enough that most people were oblivious to his presence. As he drove to the hospital, he turned the radio loud, hoping it would drown out his thoughts.
It was too easy. There was no remorse, only relief that one more person was out of the way. And the feeling of power. Fuck them. He was in charge. Nobody would stand in his way.
Chapter 23
Alex was ready to bang his head to the wall. There was nothing concrete that tied everything together. He’d need to go over the pieces of the puzzle again. The only actual tangible evidence was the scrap of plastic wrap they’d found, but even after it came back with a partial print, it was smudged and wasn’t helpful. The pendant and necklace were obviously the victim’s, but it didn’t mean it had anything to do with the killer. In fact, it was probably just a random piece of jewelry she’d put on that day.
They found a hammer in Greg’s locker, but again, nothing proved it was the blunt instrument used in the smashing of the victim’s windpipe. Nothing was solid. It was all circumstantial.
There had to be more. They weren’t getting anything else out of Mark Abbott. His lawyer made that clear. The less he talked, the better for him. It’s not like they had him on the scene or anywhere near the incident. Alex was hopeful when he’d first heard about the possibilities, but nothing panned out the way that he’d hoped.
“Where do we go from here?” he asked Bryce. Stumped and beyond frustrated, he wanted answers.
Bryce shook his head. “Let’s comb over the details again. What have we got?”
Cam joined them. The three men went step-by-step through the case. Nothing new jumped out at them. Cam scratched his head. “It seems like the hospital is the common element. We’ve got Dawn, Greg, and Amanda. They found bone fragments in the incinerator. The incident at the parking garage. Maybe it’s time we dig a little deeper in that arena.”
“I think you’re right,” Bryce answered with a nod. “Too much is tied to the hospital.”
“What about the stuff that happened at Amanda’s house?”
“They know where she lives, but she works at the hospital. The emergency room seems to be the other common ground. I say we narrow our focus and see what we can find,” Bryce said.
Alex rubbed his chin. “I agree. Time to put some pressure on a few people and see who bends or breaks.”
***
Amanda made her way back to Alex’s house after her shift ended. “Hey.”
“It’s good to see you,” he said, getting up to greet her. He gave her a hug, then asked about her day.
“I don’t know. I’m so overwhelmed right now. Not only are we shorthanded, but all the things going on are freaking me out. At first it was Dawn, then getting run off the road, then the break-in and shooting, now Greg…it’s too much.”
He held her close while she spoke. There was nothing he could do to change the events that had taken place, but he could take her mind off things for a little while. “Do you want something to eat? How about after dinner, I take you upstairs and give you a nice massage to help you relax?”
“Oh, that sounds nice. I need to go home at some point. I can’t just stay here indefinitely. I appreciate you offering me a place to stay, but I need to take care of details, like paying bills, doing laundry, and cleaning.”
“Let’s worry about that in the morning. Come on, I’ll make you something to eat. Tonight, you don’t have to think about anything. I’ll give you a nice back rub and hopefully drain some of that stress.”
She nodded and thanked him. “You’re wonderful.”
“I’m not a great cook,” he laughed. “Don’t thank me for dinner until you’ve eaten.”
Amanda grinned. He really did have a way of making her feel better.
They made small talk, both commenting on current events, the weather, and other nonsense. They talked about movies and favorite foods.
After eating, Alex led Amanda upstairs. “I’ll be right back. I’m going to grab some body oil from the bathroom closet.”
“Mm, I can’t wait,” she answered. Melting away the day’s stress was exactly what she needed. Maybe it would be temporary, but she’d take what she could get. After everything that had shaken her world, to turn it off for a few moments sounded wonderful.
“Hey, I meant to ask you, do you know anything about a necklace that Dawn used to wear?” he called over his shoulder as he walked to the bathroom.
“The sun, sort of like an orange jewel, maybe citrine or something?”
“Yeah, that’s the one.”
“She loved that thing. I think she mentioned her parents gave it to her or something for her birthday. I mentioned it was pretty, but it’s hard for me to remember much more. She started wearing it a few months ago, but honestly, I only saw it as she was putting it back on in the locker room. We avoid wearing jewelry in the emergency room. A wedding ring is one thing, but necklaces, dangling earrings, bracelets…not good work attire. They can get caught on stuff or get yanked off by thrashing patients.”
“Thanks,” he said, popping back out of the bathroom with the oil. “I wish we had new information, but lately things have been fruitless. Okay, enough about work. Time for your back rub.”
Amanda dropped onto the bed and rolled onto her stomach. She pulled her shirt up over her head and then tossed it onto the floor.
Alex climbed beside her and then unhooked her bra. “No need for that to get in the way.”
“I see your ulterior motives,” Amanda said with a laugh.
“I wonder what the symbol meant on the necklace. Why would her parents engrave it with an odd letter?”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“Ah, nothing. Just the small engraving on it. It didn’t make sense. I’d hoped it meant something that would help the case. It’s sort of like a capital letter P with two lines through it.”
Amanda’s color drained from her face. “What? Say that again.”
“Oh, just a little inscription or something. We were trying to—”
“Describe it again.”
“A letter P with two lines through the base. Why?”
“Holy shit.”
“What is it?”
/> “I know who gave her the necklace, and it wasn’t her parents. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Oh, I’m sorry. Excuse my language.”
“No worries. Amanda, what’s going on?”
She closed her eyes. She’d seen the symbol before. “I know that symbol. I have a bracelet with the same one.”
“What?” Alex jumped up from the bed. “Tell me more.”
“Wow. I just…not that it has anything to do with your case, but I know who gave her the necklace.”
“Who?”
“Lee Brock. A few years ago, I was in a relationship with him. He gave me a bracelet that had the same symbol on it. Dawn and Lee were having an affair? How did I not notice?”
“Wait a minute. Back up. Isn’t Lee married?”
“Yeah, well. Yes. He was married. Then they separated. That’s when we were dating. Then he got back with his wife. Shit. Lee and Dawn?” She shook her head. She couldn’t picture them as a couple. Wasn’t he still with his wife? And Dawn never told her they were dating. Of course, why would she? Lee liked to stay hush-hush about things.
“You don’t think Lee would do something, do you?”
“Lee? Oh gosh, no. He’s not like that. He’s pretty low-key and mild-mannered. I can’t imagine him being behind something so heinous. I’m more in shock over their affair.”
“This bracelet, can you show it to me if we go to your house tomorrow? I’d like to see the inscription.”
She nodded. “Yeah, sure.”
“This could be something big. I need to think.”
“Wait. I didn’t just incriminate him, did I? I didn’t mean to do that. I mean, sure, she had a necklace, but he’s not a killer, you know? I’ve known him for a long time. He’s just not the kind of guy that would do something so vicious.”
“It takes all kinds, but honestly, we’ll need to take a closer look at things.”
“I promise you, he’s not the one that was shooting at me or breaking into my house. He wouldn’t hurt me. He hinted earlier that he’s still in love with me and asked if I’d consider getting back together. When we split up…anyway, not that it matters, but I think you’re reading more into this than you should. He gave a piece of jewelry to two women. That’s all it is.”
“No. You’re right. Just because she had a necklace from the man doesn’t make him a killer. The fact that he lied about his relationship with the victim, that gets my attention. Why lie?”
“He’s married,” Amanda answered with a laugh. “Do you honestly think he’d admit to an affair if he doesn’t have to?”
Alex paced beside the bed. “Right. Honestly, we’ve been hitting a brick wall and any thread of information gives me hope at this point. I want to figure out who is behind all of this. She didn’t deserve to die. And the way we found her, baby, it was tragic. The person who did this needs to rot in Hell or at least prison for the rest of their life.”
Amanda watched Alex pacing. What if he was right? What if Lee was somehow tangled up in this mess? Greg. The hospital. Dawn. And the attacks on her. That part didn’t add up. Why her?
“Shit. He realizes you might be able to identify him. You’re the person who would recognize the symbol on the pendant. He’s scared. If he takes you out, he thinks he’s in the clear.”
Amanda’s jaw dropped. She whispered, “No. It can’t be. He wouldn’t.”
Alex turned and looked at Amanda. “I’m not letting you out of my sight. He’s coming after you next. I need to call my partner. We need to get on this before he’s onto us. How didn’t I see this sooner? I’m going to get a tail on him and watch his every move. You’ll need to stay out of the hospital for now. I don’t want you anywhere near him.”
“I can’t keep calling out of work. What am I supposed to tell them?”
“We’ll work out something. No way am I letting you out of my sight. I can’t take that chance. If he’s also responsible for Greg’s death, he did that with everybody around. No chances, okay?”
Amanda nodded. She pulled her arms tightly around her. “You really think…?”
Alex nodded. “I wish I’d known sooner. Our biggest problem right now is there’s nothing concrete to tie him to the crime. I’m going to see if I can track down the car he traded in and see if there’s any of Dawn’s DNA in his car. We’ll need to search his office and her home again, too. If I’m not the one standing by your side minute to minute, another one of my guys—and only somebody I fully trust—will watch over you. You’re not to go anywhere or do anything without protection. Got it? I’d hate to think of anything happening to you.”
Amanda looked down, trying to absorb the shock.
Alex walked over, sat on the bed, and wrapped her in his arms. “You’ll be safe with me.”
She buried her head against his neck and cried. It felt like a dream. Everything was moving so fast, her thoughts unable to keep up, reality forcing her to see something she didn’t want to see. How could he? She couldn’t fathom it…when they spoke of the details, more and more it pointed to Lee.
She closed her eyes. He’d asked her about the two of them. Was he baiting her? Trying to use her? Or did he truly want to get back together? She’d shot him down. Would anger and resentment add to his resolve?
She thought of the bracelet he’d given her. The symbol. It was so nobody else knew who it was from if they saw it. It was their secret. The P with the two lines through it, representing him giving her his heart and soul. It sounded so romantic at the time. Now all it did was make her sick.
The idea that he’d hurt someone. That he could have killed Dawn. It was all too much. They’d been friends for years. Coworkers. Lovers. Too many questions twisted and sank in her head. The way Dawn was found. Greg. Was he responsible for it all?
Was he the one that attacked her at home? Shot at her? Shattered her window? Was he responsible for her being run off the road? What about the man attacking her in the garage? Lee was there, but it was somebody else wearing the mask who grabbed her.
She shook her head. “I think you’re wrong. It’s got to be a mistake. In the parking garage at work. The night somebody tried to grab me, Lee was by my side. It couldn’t have been him.”
“Could he have hired someone to keep his hands clean? The question becomes, what would have happened if you hadn’t gotten away? Was it to simply scare you, or would I be investigating your death too? I know you’re having a hard time with this, but Amanda, you can’t trust the man. Not until we can completely clear him, but I have a feeling that’s not going to happen.”
“You really think it’s him?” Amanda looked at him, still stunned from the new information.
“Too many pieces fit together. He’s the common denominator. I can bring him in as a person of interest, but without proof, it will be hard to make the charges stick. In fact, that’s what happened with another case last year. Not here, but a neighboring town. They were certain they had the right guy, but without solid evidence there was nothing they could do to make charges stick.”
She rocked in place, still lost and reeling.
“Babe, I know it’s difficult to hear this kind of stuff. I’m sorry you have to be a part of this, but your safety is in jeopardy. We need to close this case before he kills again.”
“What if you’re jumping to conclusions? It could ruin his life. He has a family, a wife, a prestigious position at the hospital.”
“And what if I’m not? That’s why we need to corner him in. We need stronger evidence, a confession, and to stop him before he can hurt anybody else. Look, until I know otherwise, he’s our prime suspect.”
She nodded. “Okay. I mean, I get it. It’s just really hard for me to see him doing those horrible things. If you asked me if I thought he had it in him to kill somebody, there’d be no chance I’d believe it. And, here we are. It’s kind of scary. This is the kind of stuff you see on the news, but when it touches your life, wow. You know?”
“I know. We want to believe monsters aren’t real, but they are. Usually th
ey look like everybody else and blend in. That’s the scariest part. I need to get on the phone with Bryce. It’s time to track down the vehicle he traded in and search his belongings both at home and at work. Hopefully, a judge will sign a warrant for us quickly so we can get in and sweep up things before he gets wind that we’re on to him.”
“Is there anything you need from me?”
“Actually, yes. Let’s go get the jewelry you spoke of with the matching engraving. Once I start the wheels in motion, I’m going to try to catch a nap and you should get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a long day. If I’m not here when you wake up, I’ll have somebody posted at the front door. Don’t open the door for anybody, and don’t answer the phone unless you see it’s me on your caller ID. Okay?”
Amanda ran her hand up her arm. Goose bumps dotted the length of it. A frail whisper croaked out, “Okay.”
Chapter 24
Alex arranged for Cam to keep a tail on Lee’s movements. A warrant came through in the morning, and Bryce and Alex headed straight for the hospital. Other team members from the force went to Lee’s house to look for evidence.
Once there, they went in search of their target. His superiors were clued into the possibilities that had arisen.
Rebecca Hendricks followed the officers down to Lee’s office. “I haven’t seen him today, but I’ll unlock his office for you. I appreciate you keeping things low-key for the time being. We have a hospital full of patients, and I don’t want to cause a panic.”
“I can appreciate that,” Bryce said. “We’ll do our best, but crimes have been committed.”
“I understand,” she said. “I’ll be just outside if you need me.”
Alex thanked her for her help and time, then proceeded to do a full sweep of the office, looking for anything that might help them find the answers they desperately needed. He quickly put a call in to Cam, letting him know he wasn’t at the hospital, and checking to see if Cam had seen him leaving his house.
“No. His car is still parked in the driveway,” Cam responded. “Oh, wait. It looks like he’s heading out now. I’m going to follow him.”
